Credentialing

The Process

Read the Credentialling Application Process Guide and Credentialling Policies to make sure you are eligible to apply.Fill out Educational Credential and Qualifications Assessment Forms (Forms A, B, C, and D).

Send your package by mail. It should include your completed Application Form (Form A), the completed Application Checklist (Form B), and the completed Declaration of Identity Form (Form C), along with a second photograph which is signed and dated. Incomplete applications will be returned to the applicant.

Graduation Verification

It is possible for an applicant to start the process and apply for credentialling after graduating but before receiving a diploma/degree i.e. has completed the degree but does not have it in their possession due to the timing of graduation ceremonies. All you need is a receipt of a notarized copy and translation, Graduation Verification Form or official letter. However the assessment cannot be completed without the final degree/diploma.

Criterion 1:

Verification of identity through authentic and valid documentation.

Criterion 2:

Completion of a university level, entry-to-practice degree in physiotherapy. The Alliance does not accept original documents, except for translations which must be originals. They must be notarized copies of original documents that have been made by a notary public. A notary public is an official who is authorized by the government to certify that copied documents are true copies of the original.The following are not considered a notary public:

Justices of the Peace
Commissioners of Oaths
Commissioners of Declarations
Embassy Officials
Pharmacists
Police Officers

If there is no notary public in a country the Canadian Embassy can sign our application.

Criterion 3:

Successful completion of a minimum of 1025 hours of supervised clinical education. At least 100 hours in musculoskeletal, 100 hours in neurological and at least 40 hours in cardiorespiratory areas must have been covered.

Criterion 4:

Fluency in English or French. French is the main language in the provinces/territories of Quebec and New Brunswick. Graduates from the Republic of Ireland do not need to complete a language proficiency test.

Criterion 5:

The Alliance requires that all applicants take a course in the ‘Context ofPhysiotherapy Practice in Canada’ during credentialling. The aim of this is to improve our knowledge of physiotherapy practice in the Canadian healthcare system. IEPs will be assessed during this. Information on these courses will be sent to the Applicant after the applicant’s credentialling application has been processed. More information on this can be found in the While you Wait in Canada section of our website!

Get the full guide to the process here!

Time Line

Current Credentialing Processing Times:

Files with precedent established (Precedent files)
Our goal: 12-14 weeks
Actual: 6 weeks

Files without a precedent (Non-precedent files)
Our goal: 20-22 weeks
Actual: 10 weeks

The majority of files without a precedent are being processed within this time however some applications may take longer due to variations in education assessment agency response times.

Credentialing Applicants Status Update – this is a weekly update to inform you of the progress of your application.

Expiration of Credentialing Results:

The results of a credentialing assessment remain valid for a period of two years. A credentialing applicant must fix any outstanding issues and attempt the PCE within two years of receiving a credentialing results letter. If an applicant fails to complete their first attempt of the written component of the PCE within this period, their file will be closed.

There are certain cases in which an applicant may be unable to attempt the exam within the two year period, such as financial inability to pay for the exam, or the inability to obtain a visa to come to Canada within the stated time period. Such applicants who have had the validity of their results expire will be required to apply for a New File Review in order to re-assess their eligibility to attempt the exam. A fee shall be charged for a New File Review and the file will be assessed using the most current standards in place at the time of the New File Review. Due to changing standards, there is no guarantee that the applicant will continue to be eligible as a result of the New File Review.

Cost

Credentialing: €640

Context of Physiotherapy Practice course: €150

Written PCE: €555

Local Provincial Board registration: €300-600 (e.g. CPTBC, British Columbia, registration: €300)

Clinical PCE: €935

Total cost: €2,600 approx.

All IEPs must undergo this process. Credentialling is the process of evaluating your degree and documents to determine if your qualifications are not substantially different from the established or published standard in Canada. It involves comparing an internationally educated physiotherapist’s education and credentials to that of a Canadian-educated physiotherapist to ensure they are equivalent. This will then confirm our eligibility to do the Physiotherapy Competency Examination (PCE). The cost of credentialing is approximately €640. The time-frame for credentialing varies as shown below.

Prior to beginning the process of applying to Canada, internationally-educated physiotherapists (IEPs) can do SART themselves. This self-assessment tool was created to help international students to understand the Canadian physiotherapy profession. SART contains three main parts:

Overview of the Canadian model of physiotherapy, including the professional and lifestyle experiences you need to consider.
Scenarios and practice descriptions that you may encounter when working as a Canadian physiotherapist.
Questionnaire to self-assess your knowledge and skills in accordance to Canadian physiotherapist competency requirements.